Mixing machine



Jan. 25, 1944.

C. H. DUNN MIXING MACHINE Filed March 24, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l f A Q M 9m MIXING MACHINE Filed March 24, 1942 4. Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jan. 25,1944. H. DUNN 2,340,178

MIXING MACHINE v I Filed Match 24, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN T02 Jan. 25, 1944. NN I 2,340,178

MIX ING MACHINE Filed March 24, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIMEIIIH INVENTOE.

Patented Jan. 25, 1944 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IHIXING MACHINE Charles Henry Dunn, Bloomington, Ind. Application March 24, 1942, Serial No. 436,008

4 Claims. (01. 259---56) This invention relates to an improved mixing machine especially adapted to mixing bottled drinks, in which a case of drinks is automatically inverted. Starting with the case of drinks in an upright position, the machine inverts the bottles causing the liquid to change position, stops, then returns the case to the original upright position. This turning over and back motion is at a variable rate of speed and for a predetermined number of times, as will be shown later in the specifications.

The first objective is to provide a simple selfoperating machine which can be manufactured at a reasonably small cost and which is needed at the smaller bottling plants. The production speed of the machine may be controlled to care for the output of various size bottling plants. The capacity of the machine varies from zero to around one hundred-forty to fifty cases per hour. Another object is to provide a machine which can be easily adapted to accommodate bottles of variou heights. Other objects of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation view of the front of the entire machine. Figure 2 is a plan view taken above the machine. Figure 3 is an elevation view of the back of the entire machine- Figure 4 is a plan view taken show in detail top, side and'end views of the inverting-arm and supplementary mechanism on the back elevation of the machine.

.The table consists of four legs, I and 5 held rigid by braces such as 2, 3, 6 and 1.

The receiving conveyor consists of guides II and I5 spaced apart approximately one-half inch wider than the width of the case containing the bottles to be mixed, and four rollers 6! supported by bearings inserted in side members I!) and I4.

The motion of the mixing container is started by a case of bottled drinks entering container [1, pressing outwardly latches 2| and 22 one of which operates the control mechanism as will be fully, explained in a later paragraph. This mixing motion consists of container being rotated through one-half of a complete revolution from an upright position to an'inverted position where it reverses its direction and returns to its original'upright position. This oscillatory motion is repeated for a predetermined number of times. The mixing container assembly consists of metal box I! suspended between standards [2 and I6 by shafts 28 and 60 set in bearings 21 and 29. Along the upper part of the two sides are grooved slides 20 to support a removable shelf or bottle retainer which adapts the mixing container ll to bottles of various heights. Rollers 64 are set in bearings 65 attached to the bottom of the metal container. Latches 2| and 22 hinged to the mixing container will be fully explained later. Bar l9 attached to bottom of container ll projects outwardly therefrom and rests on table members 4 and 8 providing support and accurate stop for the container when it is idle and at ready position. It also limits oscillation in one direction. Bar l8 attached to top of container performs the same function when container is at inverted position.

The discharge conveyor which receives the case after it leaves mixing container, consists of 4 rollers 8|, supported by bearings inserted in side members l3 and 9.

Latches 2| and 22 are hinged to container and held at position shown in Figures 7 and 9 by coil spring 58 attached between levers 52 and 51. This spring tension holds flanges 68 and 69 pressed against outside of mixing container. The hinge pins 53 and 56 extend below bottom of the container and are engaged to levers 52 and 51 by set screws.

The operation mechanism as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 is started by case entering mixing container I! and swinging latches 2| and 22 outward until case has passed latches. The flange 69 being welded to latch 2| swings outward thereby pushing lever 50, which is supported by bracket 49. Lever 50 when pushed moves a hooked strap 4|, which is held in position by slotted guide 38. Strap 4| is moved forward far enough to catch under trigger 42. Trigger 42 hinges on outer face of gear held in place by pin through bracket46, which is part of, and moves with gear 45. Parts 44 and 43 are stop pins controlling the maximum arc of movement of this trigger 42.

After case of bottled goods to be mixed has passed completely within mixing container l1, latch 2! swings back to original position which prevents case from falling out of the container during mixing operation. This in turn allows lever 53 to be drawn back by tension of coil spring 5! to position against stop 10.

Notched strap being connected to lever ispulled back, thus lifting trigger 42 from stop 43.

In idling position the upper arm of clutch throw out lever 39 is resting on the face of trigger 32 which holds female clutch 48 to a disengaged position. At this position trigger 42 is resting against pin 43.

When trigger s2 is pulled from behind and above upper arm of clutch lever 39, this arm due to action of coil spring 49 is moved toward face of gear 45 which in turn moves the lower arm of clutch lever 39 outward, causing the female clutch 48 to slip into position to be engaged with male part of clutch which is part of gear 23. Male clutch 48 is allowed to slide along shaft 24 in a longitudinal direction motion on a key way. This key way prevents clutch 58 from revolving on shaft 25 when the male and female clutches are engaged.

Guide 33, is fixed to bracketfil.

Clutch lever 39 works in holes in bracket 31; and gear E revolves on shaft 41 which is studded into bracket 31; bracket 31 is attached to frame member 4.

Figures 5, 6, and '7 show trigger 42 in a raised position. which has allowed clutches to go into an engaged position.

Figures 1 and 2 show motor 62 which is attached to frame work. Pinion gear 63 attached to motor shaft transmits power through gear to shaft iii: which is supported by bearings 33 to frame members 4 and 8.;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show pinion gear 25 fixed to shaft 65 and engaged with ear 23.

Gear 23 revolves on shaft 24 in an idling condition until the male part of clutch which is a part of this gear engages with the female part of clutch 48. Gear 23 is held on end of shaft 24 by washer which is fixed to outside of hub of gear 23 which prevents gear from moving further on to shaft. The head of screw 67, which is tapped into end of shaft 24, being larger than the hole in the washer, prevents gear 23 from moving off the end of the shaft. After the two parts of the clutch on shaft 24 are engaged; shaft 24 revolves and gear 54 being fixed to shaft 24' revolves, turning gear 65 through one complete'revolution which carries trigger d2 once around and back into a position under upper clutch lever arm which is thus pushed outward causing lower clutch lever arms to disengage the clutch. This disengaging of the clutch returns gear 23 to an idling condition which makes the complete machine in a ready position to receive another case to be mixed. The ratio of gear 5A to gear '55 is one to four, which times the mechanism to turn shaft 24 through four complete revolutions. Shaft 24 powers the mechanism on back of machine as shown in Figures 9, 8, and 10.

Shaft 24 is supported by bearings 55 and 55 which are attached to frame members 8 and 4.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show the mechanism which transmits the power from shaft 24 to operate the mixing action of the mixing container l-T. Keyed to shaft 24 is a crank wheel 34 with an off center shaft or eccentric pin 38 which moves rack 35 with a back and forth motion which in turn moves gear Gear 3! is fixed on shaft 69 to the end of which shaft is fixed to container case i! thereby giving the container case the same motion as gear 3%. On the upward stroke of rack 35, gear 39 and conteiner case I! are rotated through one-half of a complete revolution from an upright position to an inverted position. The down stroke of rack 35, reverses this action and rotates gear and container case ll back from the inverted position to its original upright position. This back and forth or generally reciprocation motion of rack is repeated four times which is controlled by shaft 24 being revolved four times as explained above. Rack 35 is held in place and in mesh with gear 30 by a hanger 3| swinging on shaft 60 in which a roller 32 operates on a shaft running between the sides of hanger 3|. Latch 22 as shown is only for the purpose of holding case of bottles in container I! while it is going through the half-revolutions. Note that there are no latches on the exit end of container case ll, this being unnecessary because the container case I! never goes beyond the horizontal positionin that direction. The rack and eccentric pin motion is such that, oscillation is at a greater rate during the central arc of the same than at the ends of the oscillatory travel.

I claim:

I. A mixing. machine for mixingcased bottled drinks and having a container normally open at opposite ends for case entrance at one open end and case discharge at the opposite open end, the

' case passing therethrough in one direction only,

the container being pivotally mounted, oscillating for oscillating said container, initial oscillation movement being opposed to case travel direction, and latch means at the entrance end only of the container and normally constrained into latching position and engageable by the case upon entrance into the container to move the latch means to permit the case to pass into the container, said latch means limiting retrograde movement of the case in the container, said oscillating means, upon initial actuation, lowering the container entrance end and simultaneously raising the container discharge endfor seating the case against the latch means when in latching position, case release from the container being independent of latch means operation.

2. A, mixing machine, as defined by claim 1, wherein the oscillating means includes a continuously rotatable power operable member, a

rotatablemember, a clutch structure therebetween, cyclically controlled by the second mentioned member for declutching the rotatable members .upon predetermined multiple rotation of the .second mentioned rotatable member, means automatically operable in case insertion into the container for controlling the clutch structure for clutching the rotatable members together, and a rotary-to-reciprocatory power translating device between the second mentioned rotatable member and the container including an eccentric pin rotatable by said second mentioned rotatable member, a pitman pivotally connected at one end to said pin and operable thereby and having a rack portion remote from said pivot connection, and gear means having constant meshing engagement with said rack portion and connected to said container for oscillation thereof incident to the rotation of said second mentioned. rotatable member, the gear means-rack portion meshing position relative to the container position and the position of the eccentric pin being such that in each oscillation of the container, for uniform rotation of said second mentioned rotatable member, said container has a variable rate ofmovement, fastest movement thereof occurring between the ends of the container movement.

3. A mixing machine, as defined by claim 1 wherein there is provided a control device for sa d oscillating means and automatically operable in case insertion into the container, said control device including a member normally constrained to a retracted position and movable in an opposite direction by case insertion, said member being returnable to retracted position only when the case has been sufficiently inserted into the container to at least pass the latch means thereof, a reciprocatory member having a hook and normally constrained to hooking position and member operable in a direction opposed thereto, a pivotally mounted trigger having limited pivotal movement and engageable by the hook of said hooked member when the latter is actuated by its constraint immediately following first member operation provided the inserted case has cleared the latch means, said oscillating means including a continuously rotatable power member a second rotatable member, a clutch therebetween, and a rotary-to-reciprocatory power translating device between the container and the second mentioned rotary member, a control member for said clutch normally constrained to eifect the clutching together of said rotatable members, said trigger, when hook engaged and retracted by its constraint, tilting to permit said clutch control member to have movement responsive to its constraint to effect clutching of said rotatable members, and rotatable means operable with and by said second mentioned rotatable member and pivotally supporting said trigger, said trigger upon completing approximately one revolution then camming said clutch control member, in opposition to its constraint, to a position to effect declutching of the rotatable members for cessation of container oscillation, said trigger then being positioned immediately adjacent the hook of said hook member, the latter, when subject to its constraint following first member case operable movement hooking to and tilting said trigger to release said clutch control member to its constraint for clutching operation.

4. A mixing machine as defined by claim 1 wherein a frame has two spaced side portions upon which the container is pivotally supported therebetween, and stop means on the lower portion of the discharge end of the container and frame engageable for container steadying purposes and preventing lowering of the container discharge end upon case insertion, the container, at the discharge end, being loaded to a greater extent than at the entrance end when case loaded, said stop means also supporting said container when case loaded and the container is stationary.

CHARLES H. DUNN. 

